The UK's Image Before And After Brexit Part II

How Attractive Is The UK To Japan? A Major Study Of The UK's Image Before And After The Brexit Referendum

This is a follow up session to "The UK's Image Before And After Brexit" held at the BCCJ offices on June 20 2018.

Two and a half years on from the referendum, how attractive is the UK for business, education and for tourism in the eyes of Japan's young people? How are the Brexit negotiations affecting the UK's image?

Every two years, the British Council commissions surveys across the G20, including in Japan, with samples of over 19,000 young, educated 18-34-year-olds; the pool from which the future’s major decision makers will emerge. Young people in each of the member states of the G20 are surveyed about their views of the attractiveness and trustworthiness of the other G20 countries. This is the world's most comprehensive survey of young people’s views of the attractiveness of leading nations. It offers insight into how the attitudes of young people to other nations around the world shift over time, across four key metrics: overall attractiveness, trust in people, trust in government and trust in institutions.

Crucially, the research was carried out before and after the Brexit referendum, and it represents one of the biggest studies to date which measures international levels of trust and attraction towards the UK and how young people have been affected by the Brexit decision.

Findings: UK

It is noteworthy that the UK’s overall attractiveness has moved up from 7th place in 2016 to 2nd place in 2018. Since the Brexit referendum, trust in the UK’s people back up to second place and trust in government also up a place.

Findings: Japan

Japan ranks the UK in the top five countries in terms of being an attractive place to study in, travel to and do business with. UK respondents rate Japan similarly highly.

The top issues for young Japanese are extremism/terrorism (53 per cent), poverty (47 per cent) and migration/refugees (40 per cent); Japan is the only country to rank migration as a top three concern. Japanese respondents say peace is by far the most important value the world should be encouraging, with equality and diversity and care for the environment in joint second.

Other key findings

If you're curious to find out more outcomes from this G20 study and share your own views about what they might mean for your business, then join us for a study session at the BCCJ office led by Matt Burney, Director of the British Council for Japan. Since the results of the British Council surveys highlight both strengths and weaknesses in the UK’s image, we will discuss opportunities – and risks – that your business may have to address as you continue to do business here.